Social performance monitoring can be defined as one’s ability to detect errors and to adjust one’s behavior accordingly while performing actions in a social context. As such, it might require...Show moreSocial performance monitoring can be defined as one’s ability to detect errors and to adjust one’s behavior accordingly while performing actions in a social context. As such, it might require perspective taking abilities. The present study thus explores the relationship between social performance monitoring and empathy in children and adolescents across different contexts. Participants (N= 107) aged 9-19 completed self-report measures of empathy and engaged in a performance monitoring task (i.e., shooting a moving cannon whenever it lined up with a target) in individual, cooperative, and competitive settings. Results showed that the older children were, the better they performed in the cannonball task, pointing to age-related improvements in performance monitoring capabilities. Surprisingly, task performance did not differ between individual and social contexts. Moreover, neither cognitive nor affective empathy significantly predicted task performance in any condition. Regarding changes in empathy dimensions across development, our results revealed that, in line with our hypotheses, cognitive empathy increased with age, while affective empathy remained stable. Moreover, as expected, no effects of gender on cognitive empathy were found, while girls did report significantly higher levels of affective empathy than boys. Our behavioral study adds new insights to existing literature mostly consisting of electrophysiological and neuroimaging studies, suggesting that children and adolescents’ performance monitoring behavior is possibly neither influenced by the social context, nor by how empathetic they are. Further behavioral research on the potentially complex interplay between empathy and social performance monitoring in children and adolescents is thus warranted.Show less
Kinderen uit etnische minderheidsgroepen ondervinden achterstanden op school en ervaren een lagere kwaliteit zorg. Onderzoek naar onderliggende mechanismes is nodig om etnische ongelijkheden beter...Show moreKinderen uit etnische minderheidsgroepen ondervinden achterstanden op school en ervaren een lagere kwaliteit zorg. Onderzoek naar onderliggende mechanismes is nodig om etnische ongelijkheden beter te begrijpen. Echter, veel onderzoek bestudeerde de interacties tussen volwassenen. De huidige studie is een replicastudie (Spencer, Heitland, Montoya, Branje, & Bos, 2018) waarbij de neurale structuren die plaatsvinden bij interacties tussen volwassenen en kinderen met verschillende etnische kenmerken worden bestudeerd. In het huidige onderzoek werd met behulp van event-related potentials (ERPs) de neurale verschillen bij gezonde vrouwen (N = 81) gemeten terwijl zij keken naar ingroup (eigen etniciteit) en outgroup (andere etniciteit) kindergezichten. Daarnaast werd onderzocht of verschillen in ERP componenten gerelateerd zijn aan gedragsreacties door het meten van schattigheidsbeoordelingen en de motivatie om naar een kindergezicht te kijken. Eerdere resultaten met volwassengezichten als stimuli komen deels overeen met de resultaten van het huidige onderzoek, waarbij op de P200 component en de N170 component sterkere reacties werden gemeten op de outgroup stimuli en op de N200 component waren de reacties op de ingroup stimuli sterker. Op de N100 component werden geen verschillen gemeten. Ook speelde etniciteit geen rol in de schattigheidsbeoordelingen en de motivatie om een kindergezicht te bekijken. Alles samengenomen dragen deze bevindingen bij aan het begrijpen van onderliggende mechanismes in de omgang met kinderen uit etnische minderheidsgroepen.Show less
Abstract Background: Stroke patients discharged home often experience emotional and cognitive problems, resulting in participation restrictions. The ECO-stroke intervention was designed to reduce...Show moreAbstract Background: Stroke patients discharged home often experience emotional and cognitive problems, resulting in participation restrictions. The ECO-stroke intervention was designed to reduce these restrictions. Effectiveness will be examined in a separate randomized controlled trial (RCT). The current process evaluation assesses the feasibility of the ECO-stroke intervention, examining implementation, mechanisms of impact and contextual factors. Implementation involves assessing who received the intervention (reach), the intervention quantity (dose), and adherence to the protocol (fidelity). Additionally, mechanisms of impact examined the relationship between intervention components and changes in participation restrictions. Contextual factors examined external barriers and facilitators affecting implementation. Methods: Data from 264 patients allocated to the intervention group of the RCT were used. Nurses collected data in electronic case reports at six weeks after stroke. Measures included timing of the intervention, intervention duration, whether questionnaires were completed, shared decision-making was used, and whether a companion was present. Participation restrictions was measured using the USER-P-R questionnaire at 6 and 12 weeks after stroke. These measures were used to assess the fidelity and to conduct a multiple regression analysis examining their predictive properties on change in participation restrictions. Additionally, qualitative data was collected through focus group interviews with nurses, which were transcribed and analysed using a thematic analysis to further analyse implementation, mechanisms of impact and contextual factors. Results: The intervention reached 262 of the patients (99.2%), and five of the nurses (83.3%). The median intervention duration was 60 minutes. Components of the intervention were performed according to protocol > 80% of the time, except for duration of the intervention (50.4%). Individual components of the intervention did not predict change in participation restrictions. The intervention duration was a barrier for implementation, as patients become fatigued during the intervention, and the workload for nurses is increased. Conclusions: The intervention was implemented successfully. Nurses were positive about the intervention. Due to methodological issues no firm conclusion can be drawn on the mechanisms of impact. If the intervention turns out to be (cost-) effective, there are no major barriers for implementation in clinical practice.Show less
Previous research has shown that children’s art viewing behaviour is influenced by bottom-up factors, as opposed to top-down factors in adults. This study examines the influence of painting...Show morePrevious research has shown that children’s art viewing behaviour is influenced by bottom-up factors, as opposed to top-down factors in adults. This study examines the influence of painting descriptions tailored to children aged 10-12 on their visual attention and aesthetic appreciation of art. Sixty-two participants viewed a set of three painting in the halls of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, while their eye movements were recorded. One group received a description tailored to their age-group before viewing each painting (Child Description Condition), while the two other groups either received the museum’s description (Adult Description Condition) or no description at all (Free-Viewing Condition). After viewing, each participant’s aesthetic appreciation was measured. Findings indicate significant differences in visual attention between conditions, where participants with child-tailored description viewed more areas of interest for a longer period compared to other conditions. However, no difference in aesthetic appreciation was found between conditions. These results highlight the importance of tailoring art descriptions to the knowledge level of specific demographics, children in particular. Furthermore, it shows that adult-level descriptions are just as effective at modulating children’s visual attention as giving no description or information at all. Going further, this knowledge can be applied to enhance children’s understanding and maintain engagement in various real-world settings, such as education and safety.Show less
Mensen met een zichtbare huidaandoening ervaren vaak stigmatisering. Stigmatisering kan veel negatieve gevolgen hebben, bijvoorbeeld op de mentale gezondheid van de getroffene. Daarom is het...Show moreMensen met een zichtbare huidaandoening ervaren vaak stigmatisering. Stigmatisering kan veel negatieve gevolgen hebben, bijvoorbeeld op de mentale gezondheid van de getroffene. Daarom is het belangrijk dat er meer duidelijkheid komt over wie er stigmatiseert zodat er passende interventies ontwikkeld kunnen worden. Het doel van dit onderzoek is dan ook om inzicht te krijgen in de mate van publieke stigmatisering van psoriasispatiënten en te achterhalen of er genderverschillen spelen bij de mate van stigmatisering. Om dit te onderzoeken is een cross-sectioneel within-subjects onderzoek uitgevoerd. Respondenten hebben een online survey ingevuld waarbinnen zij verschillende video’s te zien kregen. Voor dit onderzoek zijn twee van deze video’s gebruikt, één video toonde iemand zonder zichtbare psoriasis en de andere video toonde iemand met zichtbare psoriasis. Na elke video werden vragenlijsten over publiek stigma afgenomen. De data van 120 respondenten zijn gebruikt. Uit het onderzoek is naar voren gekomen dat de mate van publieke stigmatisering significant hoger ligt ten opzichte van iemand met zichtbare psoriasis vergeleken met iemand die dat niet heeft (t(119) = 6.55, p < .001). Verder is gebleken dat gender van de waarnemer geen significant effect heeft op de mate van publieke stigmatisering (t(58.97) = 0.95, p = .346). Het significante effect van zichtbare psoriasis op publiek stigma toont aan dat er nog veel winst te behalen valt op het gebied van stigmavermindering. Nu we weten dat gender geen significante effecten heeft op publiek stigma bij psoriasis, weten we dat interventies gefocust moeten worden op alle genders.Show less
Objective: The period after successfully coming off treatment (SCOT) following a childhood cancer diagnosis is known to be a vulnerable time for parents in which increased levels of distress can...Show moreObjective: The period after successfully coming off treatment (SCOT) following a childhood cancer diagnosis is known to be a vulnerable time for parents in which increased levels of distress can play a significant role. It is important to know more about the distress experienced by parents during this period to determine whether an intervention should be used to help parents return to ‘normal life’. The aim of this study was therefore to gain better understanding of parental distress and factors related to their distress during the first year after their child has successfully completed treatment. Methods: A sample of 283 parents of children who had successfully completed cancer treatment in the previous year were included in this cross-sectional study. These parents, who were part of the SCOT group, were invited to complete the Distress Thermometer for Parents (DT-P) within one year after treatment completion. The DT-P consists of a thermometer score to measure experienced distress and problem domains (practical, social, emotional, physical, cognitive, and parenting). Parents in the SCOT group were compared with parents in the general population (NORM group) to see if their distress levels were higher. In addition, the association between distress and the problem domains and child- or parent-related factors (time since the end of treatment, cancer type, child’s age, parental disease, and perceived support) was examined. Results: Parents (73.9% mothers) in the SCOT group experienced higher levels of distress in the first year after SCOT compared to the general population (fathers SCOT: M=3.5, SD=2.6 vs. fathers NORM: M=2.8, SD=2.5; p=.032; mothers SCOT: M=4.1, SD=2.7 vs. mothers NORM: M=3.5, SD=2.7; p=.001). Emotional (p<.001), practical (p=.016), and physical (p=.005) problems were predictors of higher distress levels. Parents’ perceived support from their environment contributed also to their level of distress (p<.001). Conclusions: Parents of children who have successfully completed cancer treatment experience increased levels of distress in the first year after treatment compared to parents in the general population. There may be value in developing an intervention to ease this transition that specifically addresses their emotional well-being and highlights the importance of their social network during this vulnerable period.Show less
This study examined the association between therapists' perspectives on Feedback Informed Treatment (FIT) and Routine Outcome Monitoring (ROM) and their commitment to measurement-based care and...Show moreThis study examined the association between therapists' perspectives on Feedback Informed Treatment (FIT) and Routine Outcome Monitoring (ROM) and their commitment to measurement-based care and treatment outcomes. Additionally, the investigation explored the question whether therapists ́ attitudes towards ROM and FIT have an influence on the implementation of these assessments. Guided by a theoretical framework, the Contextualized Feedback Intervention Theory (CFIT), the research aimed to provide valuable insights into the integration of standardized outcome measures in clinical settings. Utilizing Monitoring and Feedback Attitude Scale (MFA) and the Attitudes toward Standardized Assessment in Mental Health Facilities (ASA-MF) instrument, therapist attitudes were systematically assessed, to investigate the association between specific attitudes towards ROM, utilization of FIT and treatment outcome. Therapists who held positive attitudes toward the practical aspects of ROM, as measured by the Practicality scale assessing therapists’ opinions on the feasibility and ease of implementing ROM in their professional context, exhibited better treatment outcomes. In addition, a significant correlation was observed between the Clinical Utility scale and the integration of FIT into therapy sessions, indicating that therapists who perceived FIT as clinically useful implemented it more frequently. These results provide valuable insights into the integration of standardized outcome measures in clinical practice, emphasizing the importance of therapists' attitudes in shaping the utilization of ROM and FIT.Show less
Public speaking anxiety can interfere with academic and professional aspirations, especially when anxiety leads to avoidance. Previous studies have shown that people with high and low anxiety...Show morePublic speaking anxiety can interfere with academic and professional aspirations, especially when anxiety leads to avoidance. Previous studies have shown that people with high and low anxiety differ in their subjective and objective arousal during a public speaking task. Interoception plays a key role in the integration of objective and subjective arousal and might be related to differences in anxiety experience between high and low-anxious public speakers. Virtual environments offer a great opportunity to practice and investigate exposure to different types of public speaking situations. The current study aimed, firstly, to investigate differences in subjective and objective arousal in high- and low-anxious public speakers, secondly, to investigate correlations between subjective and objective arousal as a proxy of interoception, and thirdly, to investigate the influence of virtual audience size and attitude in high- and low-anxious speakers. To this aim, we set up an impromptu virtual public speaking task with 102 participants. After measuring their public speaking anxiety level via a questionnaire, the participants prepared and gave their speech to the virtual audience. The virtual audience differed in size and attitude (2x2 between-subject design). We measured their subjective and objective arousal via questionnaire and physiological signals respectively before and during the speech. Interoception was estimated by the correlations between matching subjective and objective arousal measures. In line with previous studies, results showed heightened subjective arousal in high-anxious speakers while similar objective arousal compared to low-anxious speakers. Results showed slightly more significant correlations between subjective and objective arousal measures for low-anxious speakers, but not between matching arousal measures, indicating poor interoceptive ability in both anxiety groups. Lastly, we did not find a significant effect of audience size or attitude. These results differ from previous findings, which indicated lower arousal for encouraging compared to critical audiences. Limitations and future recommendations will be presented.Show less
This survey study examined precursors of work functioning problems of health-impaired employees. The study had a cross-sectional survey design and employees with chronic mental and/or physical...Show moreThis survey study examined precursors of work functioning problems of health-impaired employees. The study had a cross-sectional survey design and employees with chronic mental and/or physical health issues were recruited for research participation (N = 137). A first multiple regression analysis showed that among health-impaired employees work stress and general distress relate directly and positively to work functioning problems, and that health- related occupational self-efficacy and general occupational self-efficacy do not significantly relate directly and negatively to work functioning problems. Furthermore, a series of multiple regression analyses showed that for health-impaired employees a) organizational inclusiveness relates directly and negatively to health-related stigmatization when controlling for age and gender, and that b) health-related stigmatization is a direct and positive predictor of work stress and general distress, and only a direct and negative predictor of health-related occupational self-efficacy. Hereafter, mediation regression analyses only showed that health- related stigmatization relates indirectly to work functioning problems via work stress as a mediator, and that organizational inclusiveness relates indirectly to work stress and general distress via such health-related stigmatization as a mediator. Finally, the moderation regression analyses showed no influence of preparedness-coping and educating-coping on the association between health-related stigmatization and outcomes. The theoretical and practical implications, and the strengths and limitations and suggestions for future research, of the current study are discussed.Show less
This study explores the intricate connections between music, movement, and cognition by exploring the effect of auditory cue on motor and cognitive performance in fifty healthy participants between...Show moreThis study explores the intricate connections between music, movement, and cognition by exploring the effect of auditory cue on motor and cognitive performance in fifty healthy participants between 18-39 years (females n=38). Employing a within-subjects design, participants engaged in tapping tasks under various auditory conditions, including metronome, experimenter-selected, and subject-selected musical tracks, in both single and dual-task scenarios. Objective measures of tapping timing consistency and force, alongside subjective ratings of induced arousal, induced emotional valence, familiarity, and likeness were examined. Two multilevel models were built to assess subjective ratings and/or musical condition as predictors of tapping force, consistency and 2-back performance. Significance was set at p<.05 (∝=.05). Higher ratings of emotional valence, arousal, familiarity, and liking were not found to predict higher tapping force and consistency. A repeated measures ANOVA investigated differences in tapping force and timing consistency between the three auditory conditions, however no significant difference was found for force (F(2, 123) = 0.004, p =.99) or timing consistency (F(2, 121) = 2.813, p = .06). Contrary to expectations, the metronome was found to be the only predictor of working memory (estimate = 4.92, SE = 0.63, p = .001, 95% CI = 3.69, 6.15). No significant difference was found between auditory conditions when compared in an ANOVA (experimenter-selected tracks = (t(56.89) = 1.28, p = 0.2, 95% CI = -0.78, 3.53); subjectselected tracks = (t(53.42) = , p = 0.17, 95% CI = -0.66, 3.58). Findings underscore the potential implications of auditory cues for cognitive tasks, challenging previous assumptions. By addressing gaps in existing literature and exploring the role of force in music-cued tapping, this study contributes to our understanding of human behaviour and cognition. Ultimately, these insights may inform the development of interventions aimed at optimizing performance across diverse cognitive tasks and populations.Show less
The behavioural overlap observed between developmental dyslexia and other neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) such as ADHD and ASD is an ongoing topic of research. The complexity of these...Show moreThe behavioural overlap observed between developmental dyslexia and other neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) such as ADHD and ASD is an ongoing topic of research. The complexity of these conditions, coupled with the overlap in behavioural characteristics, contributes to the challenge of accurately diagnosing dyslexia. Consequently, there is a prevalent tendency for learning disabilities such as dyslexia to be underdiagnosed. This study aims to examine whether there are specific cognitive impairments attributable to dyslexia, that are not observed in NDDs in general. The answer to this question was examined by comparing the cognitive profile of children diagnosed with a NDD and dyslexia to children diagnosed with a NDD but not dyslexia. The WISC-V was administered to 57 children aged between 7 and 16 years. The findings of this study showed no differences in the frequency of a deviant IQ profile between children with a NDD, with or without (suspected) dyslexia. In addition, the results showed no stronger relative weakness on the indexes of working memory, verbal comprehension, and processing speed for children with dyslexia compared to children with a NDD but not dyslexia. To conclude, the current study found no evidence for specific cognitive impairments attributable to dyslexia. Due to the small sample size in this study, further conclusions cannot be drawn from these results. Since the obtained results contradict the results of previous studies, a follow-up study to gain more knowledge about the cognitive profile of dyslexia in co-occurrence with other NDDs is advised.Show less
In the context of decision-making and rational behaviour, the decoy effect serves as a frequent example of how the introduction of an inferior option to a choice set can influence choice preference...Show moreIn the context of decision-making and rational behaviour, the decoy effect serves as a frequent example of how the introduction of an inferior option to a choice set can influence choice preference. To investigate the evolutionary origin of this effect and the context in which it occurs, comparative studies need to be conducted. However, existing paradigms do not facilitate comparative research on the decoy effect and do not thoroughly assess the effect of a stressful context on its occurrence. The current field study (N=81) utilizes a virtual foraging environment to explore these methodological and knowledge gaps utilizing a within-subjects design. By constructing an ecologically valid choice set involving trade-offs between effort and amount of food and employing auditive stimuli to elicit stress, this study could offer a promising avenue for future comparative studies with non-human primates such as chimpanzees. The first research question explores the virtual paradigm’s potential for studying the decoy effects by investigating whether alterations of choice preference occur and whether the common characteristic of more prominent decoy effect for larger and delayed rewards in comparison to sooner and smaller rewards can be replicated. The second research question explores the validity of the stress-inducted-to-deliberation (SIDI) model, which posits acute stress increases the decoy effect due to a relative shift towards System 1 decision-making. Moreover, eye-tracking data (N=50) is used to assess the SIDI models default-interventionist proposition of reduced System 2 adjustments under acute stress. Due to the within-subjects nature of the study, a combination of statistical methods was employed including a Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test and two GLMM models to account for participant-level variation in the data. The results show the decoy effect indeed occurs in the paradigm and a more prominent for larger and delayed rewards was found. Conversely, acute stress did not lead to a higher occurrence decoy effect, nor was the default-interventionist account validated. The findings suggest that ecologically valid VE paradigms hold promise for future decoy studies. However, they also highlight the need for further studies on the relationship between acute stress and the decoy effect. In particular, future research should consider employing validated methods of stress elicitation or, in the case of non-validated methods of stress elicitation, consider utilizing relatively objective stress measures such as biomarkers.Show less
This study investigates the relationship between maternal and young child trauma symptoms following exposure to domestic violence, with a specific focus on maternal traumatic childhood experiences...Show moreThis study investigates the relationship between maternal and young child trauma symptoms following exposure to domestic violence, with a specific focus on maternal traumatic childhood experiences as a moderator. Domestic violence is a pervasive issue with far-reaching consequences for families, often resulting in psychological trauma for both mothers and their children. Despite the recognition of this phenomenon, the specific dynamics underlying the transmission of trauma within these families remain poorly understood. A sample was used of 30 mother-child dyads recruited from domestic violence shelters, with children under the age of 6, all of whom had experienced severe domestic violence. Data was collected through self-report and parent-report surveys to assess trauma symptoms in both mothers and children, with the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) and the Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen (CATS). The study employed a cross-sectional design, focusing on the immediate aftermath of domestic violence. Mothers were also asked to report on their traumatic childhood experiences in a short version of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-SF). Results revealed a lack of significant correlation between maternal and child trauma symptoms, challenging conventional assumptions of direct transmission. While mothers reported high levels of trauma symptoms, these were not strongly associated with corresponding symptoms in their children. Additionally, the moderating effect of maternal traumatic childhood experiences was not detected, indicating a more complex relationship than previously assumed. These findings underscore the multifaceted nature of the link between maternal and child trauma symptoms. Future research should utilize longitudinal designs to track evolving dynamics and investigate additional moderators and mediators. Combining self-report measures with clinical interviews is crucial for accurate symptom assessment. This approach can deepen our understanding of trauma dynamics in families, leading to better interventions and support programs, and ultimately reducing intergenerational trauma, creating a safer society for our children.Show less
Problematic behaviour remains a problem within healthcare of individuals with dementia, especially as its patient group is set to expand. Problematic behaviour is often caused by pain and places a...Show moreProblematic behaviour remains a problem within healthcare of individuals with dementia, especially as its patient group is set to expand. Problematic behaviour is often caused by pain and places a heavy burden on both professional and family caregivers. Especially since family caregivers are often overlooked as a factor in care. This study therefore investigates the effectiveness of the STA OP! method (SOM), a stepwise approach to address problematic behaviour and pain in individuals with dementia, as well as how the efficacy of SOM is moderated by family involvement. The study, conducted within the CARED-4 project, utilizes a quasi-experimental longitudinal design with measurements at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months after implementing SOM. It included 84 residents with dementia from 10 Dutch nursing homes units paired with their family caregivers. Problematic behaviour was examined using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire (NPI-Q) and family involvement was examined through a tailored questionnaire. Analysis was performed with RM Anova for problematic behaviour and family involvement and a general linear model for the moderation of SOM by family involvement. Results indicated that SOM effectively reduces problematic behaviour overall (F(2,55) = 3.81, p = 0.028), after 3 months (Mean Difference = 5.47 SE= 1.97, p = 0.007), but not after 6 months (Mean Difference = 5.70 SE = 3.36, p = 0.095). Family involvement did not change overall (F(1.62,30) = 2.12, p = 0.138). Accordingly, family involvement did not moderate the impact of SOM on problematic behaviour (F(2) = 1.43, p = 0.243). Despite methodological challenges mainly due to missing data, the study takes a first step towards understanding how the effectiveness of SOM interacts with family involvement. So, although family involvement did not moderate a significant reduction in problematic behaviour, the efficacy of SOM has further been established.Show less
